The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

Kelsey is here! Drew is not! Alex Sujong Laughlin is also here to discuss the new season of Try Hard, the first episode of which just came out last week. Alex has written some really good and really scathing stuff about the scourge of The Video Podcast—how is she trying to make this one different and better? Also, Kelsey is about to disappear for a month to write a book. How does she tackle the mental and emotional challenge of locking in for that kind of thing? Finally, Roth is taught about Love Island, and they open up the funbag to answer real questions from Defector readers and Distraction listeners.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About
Speedrunning a sewing class, any%
Fiber
A sex barracks & other lustfulness
Shaking the ant farm
Men learning basic skills
A wombat with the zoomies

Credits
- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth
- Producer: Brandon Grugle
- Editor: Mischa Stanton
- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts
- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show
The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ray Ratto joins Drew and Roth to talk about two cups, Stanley and World. But first, on a scale of Not Very to Maybe A Little, how happy is Ray for New Yorkers right now? Then, because Drew does not watch nor care about either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Carolina Hurricanes, he asks Ray – was it a good Stanley Cup? Also, the US men’s team looked genuinely good in their first group match. Should we be getting our hopes up for this team? Finally, they open up the funbag to answer real questions from Defector listeners.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About
A cat in a blender singing backup for Taylor Swift
Indifference to your joy
F**king yourself as good policy
Bad energy stink lines
Penile moves

Sponsors
- Zocdoc, where you can find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Credits
- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth
- Producer: Brandon Grugle
- Editor: Mischa Stanton
- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts
- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show
The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Defector’s resident Knicks fan, Giri Nathan, joins Drew and Roth this week! After dropping
Game 3, how is Giri feeling about his team? The series seems to hinge on whether or not Victor Wembanyama is dialed in. Why has his play in this series been so inconsistent? And why has the reffing been so lousy? Then, Giri talks about his experience at the French Open, and reveals his favorite sandwich he had while there. Finally, they open up the funbag to answer real questions from listeners!

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About
200-year-old fossils
Little Long Island Billy Joel aficionados
Going to town on some sorbetto
Richard Dawkins coded

Sponsors
- Blueland, where you can get 15% off your first order
- Storyworth, where you can save up to $20
- Download the Reddit app for hot takes, fresh memes, and a group chat that never sleeps

Credits
- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth
- Producer: Brandon Grugle
- Editor: Mischa Stanton
- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts
- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show
The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leander Shaerlaeckens (author of the book The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts) joins the show for a World Cup preview! We’ll get the skinny on the unique challenge that is hosting a soccer championship in Donald Trump’s America, and how much each team’s homegrown sense of play might contribute to the American style of play - imitation, of course, being the most sincere form of flattery. And we’ll dig our snouts into the Funbag, and get some thoughts about how to name your dog.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About
A tray of lemons to absorb negativity
The calves we’re looking for
Tying our feet behind our back
André 3000 (the dog)

Sponsors
- Raycon, where you can get 15% off
- MeUndies, where you can get up to 50% off your first order, plus free shipping

Credits
- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth
- Producer: Brandon Grugle
- Editor: Mischa Stanton
- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts
- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show
The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by David Grann, bestselling author of The Wager, Killers of the Flower Moon, and other precious tomes, and staff writer at The New Yorker! And, better yet, the Knicks made the finals for the first time since 1999! Is this the best Knicks team of David’s lifetime? And what celebrity Knicks fan annoys him the most? Could David take Timothée Chalamet in a fight?

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About
NBA state of the art
Mark Cuban’s Folly
Game day disguises
Courtside Pazuzu
Let’s Make a Deal contestant Spike Lee

Sponsors
- Factor, where you can get 50% off and free daily greens per box
- Mint Mobile, where new customers can get three months of premium wireless service for $15 a month

Credits
- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth
- Producer: Brandon Grugle
- Editor: Mischa Stanton
- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts
- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show
The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.